The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Whishaw and Winslet triumph at the Baftas
British talent Ben Whishaw and Kate Winslet won the top acting prizes at the Bafta TV awards ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
Winslet, 47, won best actress for her performance in Channel 4’s drama I Am Ruth, which sees a mother and her real-life daughter Mia Threapleton work through emotional turmoil on-screen.
In an emotional speech, the Titanic star said: “If I could break it in half, I would give the other half to my daughter, we did this together, kiddo.”
The actress also said that “small British television dramas can be mighty” and mental health stories such as this one “need to be heard”.
Winslet added: “To people in power, please criminalise harmful content, we don’t want it... to any young person listening, please ask for help, it will be there.”
It was the second appearance from Winslet who joined the team of I Am Ruth as they accepted the Bafta TV award for single drama.
James Bond and Paddington star Whishaw also collected a top acting gong for his performance as an under-pressure doctor in BBC series This Is Going To Hurt.
The 42-year-old actor said “everybody in the show is just mind-blowing” and “most of all thank you, Adam Kay, for writing this wonderful role”.
The medical drama is based on Kay’s book This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor which chronicles his work training to be a doctor in the NHS.
Whishaw had already collected the prize for most memorable moment for his sketch as Paddington Bear featuring the late Queen in honour of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The ceremony also saw Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls win two awards, with creator Lisa McGee collecting the award for best scripted comedy and actress Siobhan McSweeney winning best female performance in a comedy programme for her role as eye-rolling principal Sister Michael.
The comedy about a group of teenagers growing up during the Troubles in Londonderry in the 1990s was a sleeper hit that built a large and committed following across its three series.
The night also saw Sir Mo Farah win a Bafta award for his BBC One documentary The Real Mo Farah which revealed he had been illegally trafficked to the UK as a child.
Collecting the best single documentary prize, the four-time Olympic champion, 40, dedicated the award to “children who are being trafficked”.
In his speech, he said: “The kids have no say at all, they are just kids and no child should ever go through what I did. I hope my story shows they aren’t alone, we are in it together.”
Other poignant speeches came from best supporting actress Anne-Marie Duff for the comedy Bad Sisters, who said TV is a “political arena” and shared a message to people at home.
The 52-year-old Sex Education star said: “If someone is in their life who is bullying them, who is telling them that who they are is wrong, that what they are isn’t enough... I am telling you now you are everything.”
It was also a big night for entertainment, as ITV’s The Masked Singer fought off competition from Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Strictly Come Dancing to win best entertainment programme.
Host Joel Dommett joked in his speech: “I really didn’t expect this, Strictly normally wins everything.”
The Uefa Women’s Euro 2022 coverage also won a Bafta TV award for best sports coverage of the tournament won by England’s Lionesses.
Channel 4 News: Live In Kyiv won for best news coverage, beating Susanna Reid’s Good Morning Britain interview with the then prime minister Boris Johnson.
Channel 4’s Europe editor and presenter Matt Frei said: “Let’s remember the people of Ukraine who cannot be here tonight, who cannot leave their country.
“Let’s also remember the 11 journalists who have been killed in covering just this conflict.”
Lewis Capaldi gave his first televised performance of new single Wish You The Best alongside DJ Jax Jones and singer Calum Scott who took to the stage performing their song, Whistle, which featured dancers dressed as fish.